diff --git a/net/rds/af_rds.c b/net/rds/af_rds.c
index d5defe9172e3..e84d00bbe9a1 100644
--- a/net/rds/af_rds.c
+++ b/net/rds/af_rds.c
@@ -136,8 +136,7 @@ static int rds_getname(struct socket *sock, struct sockaddr *uaddr,
 			sin6->sin6_port = rs->rs_conn_port;
 			sin6->sin6_addr = rs->rs_conn_addr;
 			sin6->sin6_flowinfo = 0;
-			/* scope_id is the same as in the bound address. */
-			sin6->sin6_scope_id = rs->rs_bound_scope_id;
+			sin6->sin6_scope_id = rs->rs_conn_scope_id;
 			uaddr_len = sizeof(*sin6);
 		}
 	} else {
@@ -572,6 +571,7 @@ static int rds_connect(struct socket *sock, struct sockaddr_unsized *uaddr,
 		}
 		ipv6_addr_set_v4mapped(sin->sin_addr.s_addr, &rs->rs_conn_addr);
 		rs->rs_conn_port = sin->sin_port;
+		rs->rs_conn_scope_id = 0;
 		break;
 
 #if IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_IPV6)
@@ -616,11 +616,14 @@ static int rds_connect(struct socket *sock, struct sockaddr_unsized *uaddr,
 				ret = -EINVAL;
 				break;
 			}
-			/* Remember the connected address scope ID.  It will
-			 * be checked against the binding local address when
-			 * the socket is bound.
+			/* Remember the connected address scope ID.  It is
+			 * checked against the binding local address when
+			 * the socket is bound, and gives a send without a
+			 * destination its scope.
 			 */
-			rs->rs_bound_scope_id = sin6->sin6_scope_id;
+			rs->rs_conn_scope_id = sin6->sin6_scope_id;
+		} else {
+			rs->rs_conn_scope_id = 0;
 		}
 		rs->rs_conn_addr = sin6->sin6_addr;
 		rs->rs_conn_port = sin6->sin6_port;
diff --git a/net/rds/bind.c b/net/rds/bind.c
index f800d920d969..3ac59cd512a2 100644
--- a/net/rds/bind.c
+++ b/net/rds/bind.c
@@ -233,8 +233,8 @@ int rds_bind(struct socket *sock, struct sockaddr_unsized *uaddr, int addr_len)
 	 * non-link local address (scope_id is 0).
 	 */
 	if (!ipv6_addr_any(&rs->rs_conn_addr) && scope_id &&
-	    rs->rs_bound_scope_id &&
-	    scope_id != rs->rs_bound_scope_id) {
+	    rs->rs_conn_scope_id &&
+	    scope_id != rs->rs_conn_scope_id) {
 		ret = -EINVAL;
 		goto out;
 	}
diff --git a/net/rds/rds.h b/net/rds/rds.h
index 2db49573dacd..9b1ffc49c0a6 100644
--- a/net/rds/rds.h
+++ b/net/rds/rds.h
@@ -646,6 +646,8 @@ struct rds_sock {
 	struct in6_addr		rs_conn_addr;
 #define rs_conn_addr_v4		rs_conn_addr.s6_addr32[3]
 	__be16			rs_conn_port;
+	/* scope of rs_conn_addr when it is link-local, 0 otherwise */
+	__u32			rs_conn_scope_id;
 	struct rds_transport    *rs_transport;
 
 	/*
diff --git a/net/rds/recv.c b/net/rds/recv.c
index 93ee4546ae36..00ab60f2d996 100644
--- a/net/rds/recv.c
+++ b/net/rds/recv.c
@@ -791,7 +791,16 @@ int rds_recvmsg(struct socket *sock, struct msghdr *msg, size_t size,
 				sin6->sin6_port = inc->i_hdr.h_sport;
 				sin6->sin6_addr = inc->i_saddr;
 				sin6->sin6_flowinfo = 0;
-				sin6->sin6_scope_id = rs->rs_bound_scope_id;
+				/* A link-local sender is reported with the
+				 * interface recorded on its connection (the
+				 * accepting socket's device for TCP, the one
+				 * resolved for the local address on IB); any
+				 * other sender has no scope.
+				 */
+				sin6->sin6_scope_id =
+					(ipv6_addr_type(&inc->i_saddr) &
+					 IPV6_ADDR_LINKLOCAL) ?
+					inc->i_conn->c_dev_if : 0;
 				msg->msg_namelen = sizeof(*sin6);
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/net/rds/send.c b/net/rds/send.c
index 38b9cc9e0d20..f38967f65af1 100644
--- a/net/rds/send.c
+++ b/net/rds/send.c
@@ -1256,7 +1256,11 @@ int rds_sendmsg(struct socket *sock, struct msghdr *msg, size_t payload_len)
 		lock_sock(sk);
 		daddr = rs->rs_conn_addr;
 		dport = rs->rs_conn_port;
-		scope_id = rs->rs_bound_scope_id;
+		/* The connected peer's scope for a link-local peer, else
+		 * the bound scope, as an explicit send to that peer would
+		 * compute below.
+		 */
+		scope_id = rs->rs_conn_scope_id ?: rs->rs_bound_scope_id;
 		release_sock(sk);
 	}